Closely Packed Conductive Droplets with Polygon-Like Patterns Confined at the Interface in Ternary Polymer Blends

This work reports on the formation of closely packed conductive droplets demonstrating polygon-like patterns at the interface in partially wetted ternary polymer systems prepared by melt blending and annealing treatment. The low-density polyethylene/poly(ether-block-amide)/poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) (LDPE/PEBA/PBAT) blend showed an intermediate partial wetting tendency where the interfacially localized conductive PEBA phase developed connected structure after blending but transformed into dispersed droplets upon annealing. The coalescence of the PEBA droplets appeared to be initiated by the Rayleigh-type instability in the thin PBAT film separating PEBA. However, the intrinsic coalescence rate of the PEBA droplets was very low due to the low interfacial tension of PEBA/PBAT. This slow coalescence of PEBA combined with the fast reduction in the interfacial area during annealing and the intermediate partial wetting state of the LDPE/PEBA/PBAT system resulted in a unique morphology of closely packed PEBA droplets with polygon-like patterns at a volume fraction of 50/10/40. Two other representative ternary polymer blends, LDPE/PEBA/polypropylene (PP) and compatibilized LDPE/PEBA/polystyrene (PS), with strong and weak partial wetting morphologies were also examined to highlight the mechanism for the morphology development in the LDPE/PEBA/PBAT blend.

Reactive Nanoparticles Compatibilized Immiscible Polymer Blends: Synthesis of Reactive SiO2 with Long Poly(methyl methacrylate) Chains and the in Situ Formation of Janus SiO2 Nanoparticles Anchored Exclusively at the Interface

The exclusive location of compatibilizers at the interface of immiscible binary polymer blends to bridge the neighboring phases is the most important issue for fabricating desirable materials with synergistic properties. However, the positional stability of the compatibilizers at the interface remains a challenge in both scientific and technical points of view due to the intrinsic flexibility of compatibilizer molecules against aggressive processing conditions. Herein, taking the typical immiscible poly vinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polylactic acid (PLLA) blend as an example, we demonstrate a novel approach, termed as the interfacial nanoparticle compatibilization (IPC) mechanism, to overcome the challenges by packing nanoparticles thermodynamically at the interface through melt reactive blending. Specifically, we have first synthesized nanosilica with both reactive epoxide groups and long poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) tails, called reactive PMMA-graft-SiO₂ (Epoxy-MSiO₂), and then incorporated the Epoxy-MSiO₂ into the PVDF/PLLA (50/50, w/w) blends by melt blending. PLLA was in situ grafted onto SiO₂ by the reaction of the carboxylic acid groups with epoxide groups on the surface of SiO₂. Therefore, the reacted SiO₂ particles were exclusively located at the interface by the formation of the Janus-faced silica hybrid nanoparticles (JSNp) with pregrafted PMMA tails entangled with PVDF molecular chains in the PVDF phase and the in situ grafted PLLA chains embedded in the PLLA phase. Such JSNp with a distinct hemisphere, functioning as compatibilizer, can not only suppress coalescence of PVDF domains by its steric repulsion but also enhance interfacial adhesion via the selective interactions with the corresponding miscible phase. The interfacial location of JSNp is very stable even under the severe shear field and annealing in the melt. This IPC mechanism paves a new possibility to use the various types of nanoparticles as both effective compatibilizers and functional fillers for immiscible polymer blends.

Partial to complete wetting transitions in immiscible ternary blends with PLA: the influence of interfacial confinement

In this study it is shown that the three different intermediate phases in melt blended ternary PLA/PHBV/PBS, PLA/PBAT/PE and PLA/PE/PBAT systems all demonstrate partial wetting, but have very different wetting behaviors as a function of composition and annealing. The interfacial tension of the various components, their spreading coefficients and the contact angles of the confined partially wet droplets at the interface are examined in detail. A wetting transition from partially wet droplets to a complete layer at the interface is observed for both PHBV and PBAT by increasing the concentration and also by annealing. In contrast, in PLA/PE/PBAT, the partially wet droplets of PE at the interface of PLA/PBAT coalesce and grow in size, but remain partially wet even at a high PE concentration of 20% and after 30 min of quiescent annealing. The dewetting speed of the intermediate phase is found to be the principal factor controlling these wetting transitions. This work shows the significant potential for controlled wetting and structuring in ternary polymer systems.

Comportamento Viscoelástico Linear e Morfologia de Blendas PP/HDPE

Neste trabalho, o efeito da composição da blenda PP/HDPE e da temperatura no comportamento viscoelástico linear e na morfologia destas blendas foi estudado. A tensão interfacial entre PP e HDPE foi avaliada utilizando o espectro de relaxação das blendas, seguindo as análises de Gramespacher e Meissner[1]. Os resultados indicaram que existe uma faixa de composições da blenda PP/HDPE para a qual é possível utilizar as análises de Gramespacher e Meissner[1] na obtenção da tensão interfacial entre polímeros utilizando-se medidas reológicas. A compatibilização da blenda PP/HDPE também foi estudada através de análises morfológicas e da tensão interfacial entre os seus componentes. Três compatibilizantes foram testados: EPDM, SEBS e EVA. Curvas de emulsão relacionando o raio médio da fase dispersa e a tensão interfacial com a concentração de compatibilizante adicionado à blenda foram obtidas. Foi mostrado que o EPDM foi mais eficiente como agente emulsificante para a blenda PP/HDPE que o EVA e o SEBS.